The prized photograph shows an atom as a speck of light. The metal electrodes it was placed between are approximately 2 mm (0.078 inches) apart and hold it nearly motionless. When a laser of the right blue-violet color illuminates the atom, it absorbs and re-emits the light particles.

Using long-exposure photography, the happening can be caught on film.

The caption reads:

“This picture was taken through a window of the ultra-high vacuum chamber that houses the trap. Laser-cooled atomic ions provide a pristine platform for exploring and harnessing the unique properties of quantum physics. They are used to construct extremely accurate clocks or, as in this research, as building blocks for future quantum computers, which could tackle problems that stymie even today’s largest supercomputers.”

Credit: David Nadlinger

Nadlinger told EPSRC that he found the idea of seeing a single atom with the naked eye to be “wonderfully direct” and “a visceral bridge between the minuscule quantum world and our macroscopic reality.” He continued,

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“A back-of-the-envelope calculation showed the numbers to be on my side, and when I set off to the lab with camera and tripods one quiet Sunday afternoon, I was rewarded with this particular picture of a small, pale blue dot.”

I'm an RHN, plant-based chef, journalist, Reiki master therapist, world traveler and enthusiast of everything to do with animal rights, sustainability, cannabis and conscious living. I share healthy recipes on my blog Bloom for Life.

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